The city council passed local legislation Monday to benefit three businesses.

Aldermen voted to adopt ordinances allowing a parking lot extension for Vitale's Restaurant by rezoning a lot on West Washington Street from residential to business use, and creating a package liquor license for the Ayerco Convenience Center at 608 E. Jackson St.

Council members also voted to award a $2,029 grant, also known as a forgivable loan, to Domino's Pizza to help pay for a new building sign.

Though he voted with his colleagues, Alderman Ryan Hansen later said he felt the money given to the pizza franchise "doesn't fall within the spirit of what was created years ago" with the city's downtown facade improvement program.

Hansen said he favors changing the rules so the money would go to preserve and maintain business signs that have historic value, or to provide partial funding to help new downtown businesses pay for signs.

The city council also adopted an ordinance establishing three new bus stops on North Pearl Street, and approved a $104,900 contract with Gatekeeper of British Columbia for on-board video systems for 30 of the Go West buses serving the city and Western Illinois University.

Aldermen approved seeking bids for a computer file server that would create a local area network for city business and correspondence. City Administrator Dean Torreson said bids are due Aug. 22, and that aldermen could discuss the bids at their Aug. 25 city council committee of the whole meeting.

Mayor Mike Inman announced that work is nearly complete on the repaving of the parking lot at the Macomb Depot. He thanked McDonough County Sheriff Rick VanBrooker for sending over volunteers to paint the trim on the old railroad station.

The city council also voted to accept a report from Macomb Fire Chief Andy Taylor on June activities in his department.

Taylor said 112 calls for service were received, with 69 of them for emergency medical service and four to report hazardous conditions.

Firefighters conducted 18 building inspections in the city and four at WIU.

They gave two fire prevention talks, hosted one visit at the fire station, and devoted 204 hours to professional training.